Gohan's Son
by Blitz Babe
Summary: A mildly A/U story about Gohan and Videl's son. Raised in a harsh world, he does not know who he is. Nor does he realise what destiny has in store for him, for he is the last chance the earth has of being free... R&R if you would. Thank you.
1. Enter Gobo

"Stupid boy, can't you get anything right?!? Get out of here!" The restaurant owner bellowed loudly in the teen's face. The boy was no older than seventeen, with short but thick black hair that fell around his face in spikes. He was fairly tall and well-built, but very clumsy. And unusually strong. Still he set his jaw in a grim expression and stared right back at his aggressor.  
  
"Fine. I'll go." He said evenly. There was a time when he would have gotten angry at the man. When he would have tried to hurt him, and probably succeeded too. But he knew better now. That kind of stuff only brought him trouble. So instead he simply shrugged off his apron. The boy thrust it into his former employer's hand, and stalked out of the kitchen. He was careful to step over the mess of broken plates and food he'd made when he tripped over some liquid on the floor. A few people watched his retreating back until he was out the door.  
  
Once away from sight, the boy leaned against a heavy brick wall. His breathing grew rapid as he felt his temper flare. 'Calm down, Gobo. Calm down.' He chanted to himself in his mind. (A/N Okay, I know, his name is REALLY strange. But I actually got it a logical way. See, Goku's Dad was named 'Bardock', which is a variation of 'Burdock', which is a type of vegetable. The Japanese name for the edible kind of burdock is 'Gobo'. *Shrug* I like it better than 'Pete' or 'Joe', so let's live with it, 'kay?) Gobo raised a hand up to his forehead and rubbed his temples lightly. He didn't know where he got his temper from, but he sure wished he could ship it back there. It would make life a lot easier. Although right now he had a lot more to worry about than the prospect of loosing it and throwing a fit. He had no job! What was he supposed to do now? "Great! Now how can I face Grandma?" Gobo wondered angrily. His Grandma was old, and no matter how spirited she was, it still didn't stop her from getting sick. If he couldn't pay for her medicine, she would… He shook his head. 'No. I'll find another job, another way! I won't let this happen. Grandma's all I've got left!" Gobo told himself firmly. She was the only person who remained of his family. Even though he didn't really believe a lot of her stories about what had become of his other relatives. Gobo figured his grandmother had gone a little senile in her old age, and invented stories to comfort herself. Sometimes he pretended that they were real to himself, just to make him feel better. He thought about them now as he dredged his way home through the alley-ways.  
  
His Grandma always told him this impossible tale, of how his Grandfather had been a mighty warrior from another planet. Maybe his Grandpa WAS from another world. After all, the aliens who had taken over earth were. But Gobo sincerely doubted that he was a hero. His Grandma would say how he saved the world, and how Gobo's father, Gohan, was a hero too. She always talked about him destroying blood-cells or something like that. Then she'd go on about his uncle Goten, or his sister Pan, or their friends who owned some place called Capsule Corp. Gobo was fairly certain that most of that was made-up; after all, according to his Grandma, everyone there had either been named after underwear or called something like 'Vegetable'. When he was little he believed her, but around here you grew up fast, and fairy-tales didn't last long.  
  
Although he DID believe what she said happened to them. Many people were taken prisoner by the aliens when they came. It didn't seem so insane to him that when they came, they kidnapped his family for experiments. Lots of people had a similar story. What he couldn't believe was that those they kidnapped were still alive. Or that if they were, they were sane at all. Gobo had a few short childhood memories. They came to him in nightmares sometimes. Fire, and screaming. It had happened fifteen years ago. He remembered a woman thrusting him into his grandmother's arms and shouting 'run'. There had been a blue-haired lady with them too. But the aliens got her as well. Gobo remembered hiding in the dark for a very long time. That was the only piece of his past that he was certain was true.  
  
As he neared the large complex of apartments that he lived in, Gobo passed a young girl lying on the street. He quickly looked away when he saw her blank eyes wide open, and the gash along her throat. 'Look away, just look away…' He told himself. When the aliens took over, they put all the humans into confined spaces deep inside the cities. Well, all the humans they didn't round up from experiments initially. Everyone was tagged with these tracker units that kept them within their area. If you left your area, the units released a poison into your system that killed you in seconds. So people stayed put or died. But there was a lot of crime. A lot of anger that humanity took out on itself. It was the sad truth of the matter. 'You don't know it was a human that killed her. Could've been one of THEM…' Gobo thought to himself. Sometimes a group of aliens would ride in, on these vehicles that made incredibly loud noises. They had massive guns, or sometimes knives. One of the aliens would pick you out on the street, and then the hunt would be on. They'd chase you. They always caught you eventually; Their vehicles were too fast for them not to. And when at last they had you, all you could do was pray that they ONLY decided to kill you.  
  
Gobo made his way inside the building. He pushed past the smell of liquor, blood, drugs and piss, as well as the people that carried the scents and climbed the rickety staircase. There was no railing on it. One time he'd actually fallen, when he was ten or twelve. Gobo never did find out why his skull didn't crack open when it hit the concrete floor. This time he reached the top without suffering a bought of clumsiness. He and his Grandma lived on the highest level of the building, and it always took him a long time to climb the stairs up the fourteen floors. But he did it, everyday like clockwork.  
  
Gobo made his way down five doors to his own. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out his key and forced open the heavy door. His Grandma had made it out of three other doors, after 'claiming' them from rooms who's occupants hadn't made it. At first the door had been used to keep young Gobo safe while she went to work. Not the tables were reversed. Gobo closed the door shut behind him carefully, being sure to lock it. Inside the little apartment things were very different than outside. The whole place smelled fresh and clean. It was completely spotless; His Grandma wouldn't have stood for it any other way. Gobo took off his shoes and hung his cota up on the wall. The floor had no carpet, but there wasn't a speck of dust or garbage on it. Right in front of the door was a small living-room/kitchen. It was basically a small, square room with a table, chairs, a fridge, a stove, and a small radio. Nothing was big or fancy, but everything was well-kept. A door at the back of the room lead to the single bedroom. It had two mats on the floor and a plastic box full of clothes and a few precious books. Right next to the bedroom was a bathroom, consisting of a simply shower, a sink, and a toilet. Considering the state of the world, Gobo knew he lived very well. And he knew he had his Grandma's cleaning skills to thank for that.  
  
"Gohan!" His Grandmother exclaimed from her seat at the small table. Gobo sighed.  
  
"No, Grandma, I'm Gobo. Gohan was my Dad." He said matter-of- factly. It wasn't that she forgot he existed; It was that she was old, and he knew he looked a lot like his father. 'It must be easy for her to just pretend everything never happened.' Gobo thought to himself sadly. ChiChi smiled at him warmly.  
  
"Oh, of course!" She said. Then she closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to banish something away. Gobo looked at her carefully. 'Maybe it isn't easy after all. Maybe it's hard, to keep hoping my Dad will walk through that door instead of me.' He decided. But then ChiChi stood up, and came over to hug him. "I'm sorry dear. How was your day?" She asked instead. Gobo's heart hit the floor. It was just one blow after another, although he knew she didn't mean it.  
  
"I-I lost my job again, Grandma." He said softly. She pulled back and looked at him, a light in her eyes.  
  
"Well, then they don't know who they fired! You just take me down there, and I'll give them a piece of my mind…" ChiChi began. But then stopped as she erupted into a coughing fit. Gobo sighed and carried her over to a chair. He carefully sat her on it and took the one across. Her fits had been getting more and more frequent lately. ChiChi stopped coughing after a few minutes. She looked at the ground dejectedly. He hated it when she got like this; It was horrible to see someone with so much life being slowly drained away. As she recovered, he got up and went over to the fridge. For some reason Gobo needed a ton of food. His Grandma thought it was perfectly normal that he ate about twenty times as much as everyone else, but he hated it. Food burned money faster than fire in his house. After a few minutes deliberation, he pulled out a few pre- cooked chickens and some side dished to heat up. ChiChi saw what he was doing and she laughed.  
  
"Your Grandfather always liked my chicken best too. You're just like him, always digging through the fridge. Here, let me warm it for you." She said, standing up and shooing him away. Gobo let her. He knew that what his Grandma needed, even more than medicine sometimes, was to feel like she was taking care of him. She had probably taken care of his whole family before the aliens came. And she was a better cook than him, even though he was far from being bad. "You go and study, Gobo." ChiChi said. He sighed and nodded. She was always telling him to study his books, to get smart so he could change the world. That was how she thought they would make life better; By getting smart. Sometimes it could get frustrating, having to work and then study all day. But what else could he do? It wasn't like he could fight all the aliens or anything! So he went and got his books from the chest, and sat down at the table to re-read certain parts, and try and figure something else out. They were thick books, and some he hadn't even finished yet. They had belonged to his father. As he read, his grandmother hummed away at the stove. Her grey was bundled up in a tight bun, and her weathered face bore a smile. Gobo focused on the words on the page, but soon he found his own exhaustion creeping up on him. Slowly the words drew closer and closer, and the humming sound of his grandmother faded farther away. Gobo's eyes drooped shut as he fell asleep against his books.  
  
  
  
There was fire all around, as well as twisted metal and the sounds of shouts. Gobo held onto the arms that held him tightly, his brown eyes peering out fearfully at the sight around him. He looked up into the clear blue eyes and lovely face of his mother, which was now set in a grim expression. "Who are they, Gohan?" She asked. A strong male voice answered her from a place Gobo couldn't see. He looked over his mother's shoulder and looked at all the people there. His Grandmother, the blue- haired lady, a girl who looked just like her, his big sister, a man with purple hair, his uncle Goten, a shorter looking man with flame-like hair, two blonde ladies, one who looked older than the other, a young man with dark skin and a black mohawk, a very short bald man, and a tall green man. They all looked vaguely familiar to him. Suddenly there was a crash behind him. As Gobo watched, a whole bunch of the people flew up off the ground towards the sound of the crash. His mother thrust him into his Grandma's hands as his sister flew forward as well. "Run!" She told ChiChi. Then she too flew off. Gobo cried for his mother as his grandmother and the blue-haired lady raced away. Then suddenly there was a shout, and his Grandma whipped around as a mechanical snake coiled around the other woman.  
  
"Bulma!" She shouted. Then he eyes widened as she darted aside, barely avoiding a similar machine. Another one zipped out to grab her, but there was a large flash as a bolt of energy smashed into it. The machine burst apart. Gobo looked up and saw his father, floating in the air. His hair was a deep golden colour, and stood high atop his head. Gohan's eyes, once brown, were now a vibrant turquoise.  
  
"Mom, hurry, find cover!" He told them.  
  
"…Daddy?" Gobo whispered. As his Grandma carried him away in search of shelter, he saw his father and a few others go after the machine that took the other lady. But soon there were to many machines. He watched in horror as dozens of metal claws began to wrap around his father, his mother, his uncle, and sister, and everyone else. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he reached an arm out to them, before his Grandmother pulled them into hiding…  
  
"Gobo!" A loud voice said. He shot straight up, eyes wide and blinking at the sound of his Grandma's angry voice.  
  
"Honestly, how do you expect to learn if you keep falling asleep?" She demanded, lowering a plate full of hot food down in front of him. He sighed and raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, preparing an excuse. But when ChiChi saw the gesture, her features softened. A few traces of water appeared in her eyes. She shook her head. "…Nevermind. Here, you eat up and get strong. Studying can come later." ChiChi told him. Gobo wasn't sure what he'd done to calm her down, but it had worked very well. With a shrug he started in on the food. As he ate, he got the feeling that he'd dreamed something important when he was asleep. But what was it? All he could recall was the fire, and being put in his Grandma's arms. Just like always. So Gobo decided to drop it, and think about getting his new job. That was when he heard his Grandmother gasp for breath and saw her collapse…  
  
(A/N: Any suggestions for a better title are welcome. Please review!) 


	2. Destruction

"Grandma!' Gobo exclaimed. He rushed up from the table and other to her side. She was convulsing a little, and choking for breath. Gobo didn't know what to do! It wasn't as if she was choking or anything, it was as if her lungs weren't working like they should. ChiChi grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. It wasn't as if there was a hospital nearby. With no vehicle, and no 911, this was the best he could do. Gobo placed her on her sleeping mat, then rifled through the plastic chest looking for any medicine that might remain. He pulled out the empty bottle which once housed pills and his heart sank. Now what?  
  
"G-Go…" His Grandmother managed to choke out. Gobo didn't know if she was asking for him, or one of his dead relatives. Most of their names started with 'go'. But just then he couldn't care less.  
  
"Grandma, save your breath!" He pleaded. She shook her head, gasping. Her eyes still held fire. She looked at him with a piercing gaze for a second. Right then, Gobo knew she didn't see Goku, Gohan, or Goten. She saw him. Right then, if she'd said his father had been taught to fight by a man who hatched from an egg, he would have believed her. She gripped his hand tightly and drew a deep, final breath.  
  
"…It's true… All of it… Believe me." She said in a raspy voice that wasn't half a whisper. Gobo's eyes filled with tears. He nodded his head carefully. ChiChi smiled. Then she convulsed once more briefly, her mouth open to try and grab any air. Her hand clenched against his tightly in pain. Gobo closed his eyes as all at once he felt her go limp. Her hand released his as the life flooded away from her body. He swallowed hard. It had all happened so quickly, he still didn't believe it. So he sat there, he wasn't certain for how long. Just sitting next to his Grandma's body. He didn't think anything, or feel anything. He didn't know anything at all anymore. Except that it hurt. That something hurt, bled, ached inside him. There was nothing left now.  
  
"…Alone." He whispered numbly after a long while. He turned his dark eyes to his Grandma, and gently pulled her eyelids shut. "Grandma, I'm all alone." Gobo whispered. Then he stood and walked away. What should he do? What could he do? He looked all round the tiny apartment. A flower of rage slower began to grew and blossom deep inside him. "NO!" He screamed. His voice rattled the walls and echoed down the building. Something flared inside him. A burning fire, he hadn't known was there before. "Not this! This can't happen to me!" Gobo yelled. He felt so distraught inside. Suddenly something flared up within him. Through eyes clouded with tears he saw a light go up around him. It burned like fire all around his body. Power surged through his limbs. But he didn't care. All he cared about was the pain. With a shout he raised his arms. The fire around them glowed brightly, until it became concentrated into floating orbs that hovered at his fingers. Gobo wasn't sure why, but this didn't scare him. It seemed… Natural. He was in pain, he needed to do something, hurt something! The energy exploded away from him. He cried out as his apartment was incinerated. Everything, from the table and chairs, to his Grandma's body. It all turned to ashes. His flesh burned at the intensity of his own ki. The explosion ripped down the hallway, down the staircase, destroying every level of the building. Screams mingled with the sounds of fire and explosions as people were killed in the massive eruption of energy. When at last it ended, Gobo collapsed through the wreckage of the building. The floors were so decimated they could no longer stand. The entire thing came falling in on him, ash and soot covering his body from head to toe. He coughed, desperately trying to clear his air-way. Planks of wood and debris smashed into him. Gobo fell until he hit the ground level. There was a resounding 'crash' as his body hit the hard ground. The air was knocked out of him. He drew breath, but only got soot and flecks of wood. Gobo hacked and wheezed. His arms flailed as he tried to push past the remains of the building and reach clean air. All the while his head buzzed with thoughts of desperation and confusion.  
  
Eventually, and to his own surprise, he managed to pull himself out of the debris. Gobo choked up a cloud of soot as he rose up. His body ached, but for some reason, felt more exhausted than hurt. He shook his head to try and clear it. This was all happening too quickly for him.  
  
"What the hell is going on?!?" He demanded, in a voice made scratchy by the ash. His lungs desperately gathered air from all around, and Gobo doubled over, his own exhaustion made apparent. As he tried to recover, his eyes surveyed the damage to his own body. He blinked. Raising his hands, he looked them over. Not a scratch! Gobo gazed at his legs, stomach, chest, arms… There was absolutely no damage. He was covered in black soot, and very tired. But that was it. No blood, even! "…How is this possible? It must be a dream." Gobo convinced himself. He looked all around at the remains of what had been his home for the past fifteen years. An almost crazed laugh escaped his lips. "That's it! I'm still dreaming. I'm just asleep. In a few minutes, Grandma will wake me up and be angry I fell asleep studying… Right?" He half-told, half-asked himself. But then tears sprung up in his eyes. Gobo lowered his hands. This wasn't a dream. He knew that; Thinking it was had been a false hope. And it hadn't even lasted. Gobo had seen too much pain and too much death to deny the truth when he saw it now. His eyes closed tight to shut out the demolition around him. "What happened? I killed everyone, destroyed everything… But how?" He whispered. (A/N In my story, ChiChi hasn't trained Gobo or taught him about ki. She was too old, tired, and busy working to do that.)  
  
Suddenly a loud whirring sound filled his ears. Gobo whipped around and looked down the street. An alien vehicle, occupied by several rowdy teenagers of the race was speeding down the street. Instinctive fear told Gobo to hide, but by the time he thought of it it was too late.  
  
There were three beings in the vehicle, too male and one female. It was shaped like a glittering silver disk, with four seats in it and a narrow control board for a dash. There was no top, and no wheels. It floated above the ground gracefully. The three aliens, one female and two male, looked surprisingly human. They were all tall and pale, with silvery skin and brightly coloured eyes. Flesh-coloured speckles surrounded their eyes, and their nails were long and translucent. The female leaned forward in the vehicle. Her long white hair spilled down over her shoulders and she smiled wickedly. "Hey, look boys! There's been an accident!" She taunted with mock concern. One of the males snickered, and the other joined in her game.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder what happened. Ya think maybe HE did it?" He asked, jutting a thumb out at Gobo. A pang of guilt flooded the seventeen-year- old. How ironic that the alien had singled him out in sarcasm, when it was in fact the truth. 'All those people… It's my fault, isn't it?' Gobo thought dejectedly. He lowered his head in defeat as he heard the female pipe up.  
  
"Oh my, we can't have that, can we? I won't let some little pisser pick on our 'pets'. C'mon, lets teach him a lesson." She said. Gobo closed his eyes again as he heard the sound of the vehicle start up. Why fight it? There was no way he could escape. Besides, he deserved any fate he got. After what he'd just done…  
  
Gobo's eyes opened as he felt something heavy impact with his standing form. The wind raced around him as the aliens' vehicle pushed him along through the air. Instinctually his hands wrapped around the metal of the car. For once he wasn't surprised to see an uncanny display. His fingers dug into the vehicle's frame, bending the metal a little. But then, he'd always had strength in that respect. Above him the aliens laughed. Well, until they realised he was seriously hurt. One of the males whistled. "Oooh, look at that. Strong, aint he?" He said.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well let's see him 'strong' his way out of this!!!" The female exclaimed. Gobo yelled as he felt himself smash up against a strong brick wall. The streets around him were completely empty. People had rushed indoors, both because of the destruction of Gobo's building and because of the presence of the aliens. No one wanted to get chosen as 'prey'. The wall behind him gave a little, and this time the demi-saiyan swore he felt something inside his crack. A searing pain stretched up his chest. 'One of my ribs…' He realised as the female hit the gas. A small cloud of steam began to fizzle up from the hood of the car. Gobo screamed as the pain intensified. But he didn't die. With a curse one of the males turned and leaned over to the trunk. He wrenched it open and pulled out a massive energy gun. The male smirked as he aimed it right between Gobo's eyes.  
  
"This should finish you off, buddy." The creature sneered. What happened next seemed almost to move in slow motion. The alien made began to squeeze the trigger. But as he did, something dropped from the sky like a ton of lead bricks. A foot darted out quicker than lightning, so quick that Gobo wasn't even sure he saw it until the gun went flying away. There was a blur of quick movement as a figure with dark hair flung the aliens out of the car. Gobo heard a crack as the female's neck was snapped. Then one male's back was snapped in half, and there was another quick blur, which left the remaining creature to fall over with a gaping hole in his chest. Gobo blinked his eyes tried to capture the mysterious creature which had rescued him. His eyelids fluttered, and the last thing he saw before he fell unconscious from the pain was an odd figure with dark hair, dressed in a brown leather coat. 


	3. An Unusual Hero

Gobo sat happily next to his sister, watching her and a young girl who had blue hair. They were both fawning over him immensely, and he was more than happen to receive their attention. Pan had an arm wrapped over his shoulders, and Bra was holding his hands. They were both smiling warmly. "Oh, Pan, he's soooo cute!" Bra exclaimed. Pan nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I know. Grandma says he looks just like Dad did when he was little." She told her friend. Gobo looked from Pan, to Bra, than back again. He laughed happily and waved his arms up and down. The cute little gesture made both girls turn to mush. It was at that moment that Gobo's uncle Goten came in, along with the man who had purple hair. Trunks caught sight of his sister and Pan, and rolled his eyes.  
  
"Peh. Girls and babies, it figures." He said. Just then Goten ran up to Gobo. He swept the toddler up into his arms. The Son grin was plastered on his face as he began to make baby-noises. Raising a hand, he tickled the small child in his arms.  
  
"Aww, who's my favowite nehpwew? You are!" He cooed. Bra looked at her brother and folded her arms triumphantly. She wore an expression that just screamed 'Ha! In your face.' Trunks just shrugged.  
  
"Hey, since when have I ever said Goten was a man?" He retorted. Goten's brows knitted and he glared at his best friend.  
  
"Shut up, Trunks!" He yelled. Trunks stretched his arms out. His mouth was carved into an exact replica of his father's smirk.  
  
"Why don't you make me, Ms. Son?" Trunks retorted. Goten growled and started towards him, forgetting for a while that he had his nephew in his arms. Pan and Bra, on the other hand, did not forget. They both jumped up from their seats and over to Goten.  
  
"Whoa there uncle, lemme take that off your hands first!" Pan exclaimed. Then she pulled Gobo away. He smiled gleefully and wrapped his plump arms around her neck. Goten blushed and raised a hand to the back of his head.  
  
"Uh… Ooops. Heheheh, sorry there little buddy." He said, patting Gobo's head. Then he turned back to Trunks and was all bravado once more. Bra rolled her eyes. She looked pointedly at the little toddler.  
  
"Men. Don't you ever grow up into one, Gobo. They always get into to trouble."  
  
  
  
Gobo peeled his eyes open slowly, well aware of the ache that stretched all along his body. His eyes rolled first to the left, then to the right. He didn't recognise the room he was in. Memories flooded back to him in a torrent of pain and anguish, pushing back any remnants of his recent dream. A few tears crept up to his eyes, but he didn't let them fall. "Grandma…" He whispered. He could see now that she had been telling him the truth. All those stories, they had to be true. It was the only way to explain what could have happened. 'Those people in the building… I feel like garbage. How could I do that? And who saved me after?' He thought. His second question was answered as he heard a wooden chair scrape against the floor. Footsteps filled his perceptions, and soon a face came into view, standing above him. The figure who had rescued him. His straight black hair fell around his chin loosely, and he was dressed in worn and tired looking clothes. But he himself seemed full of youth. Gobo met the man's piercing blue eyes. He may have looked young, but one glance at those eyes, and he knew that such was not the case. This man was probably a lot older than Gobo. Briefly the teen wondered why he looked so young, but that thought was cast aside as the man spoke.  
  
"Good. Your awake. Now maybe you can explain a few things." He said. His voice was unnaturally cold, but not overly frightening. Gobo gulped. What did this person want him to say? Why had he saved him? HOW had he saved him? The demi-saiyan vaguely recalled seeing the blur of action before he passed out from pain and exhaustion.  
  
"W-who are you?" He managed to ask. His throat was still scratchy and raw from all the ash he had choked down. The figure disappeared briefly, and re-emerged with a glass of water in his hand. Gobo sat up as the water was thrust unceremoniously into his fingers. He drank it gratefully, letting the cool liquid ease some of the pain in his throat. It was then that he realised he had been bandaged up and tended too. A few large strips of bandage wrapped around his waist, holding his ribs tightly. The man sighed and pulled up a chair within sight of his patient. He flipped it backwards and leaned against it wearily.  
  
"My name is Juunanagou. But you can call me Juunana." He said. Gobo blinked. A name that was a number? Why did that sound so familiar…  
  
"Juuhachi…" Gobo blurted before he fully realised that he was saying anything. 'Now why did I say that?' He wondered. Maybe he was reverting to some of the old number games he'd learned when he was young. But Juunana's reaction to his outburst was quite different. His jaw dropped, and he sprung away from his seat. It toppled over in his haste and he grabbed Gobo roughly by the shoulders.  
  
"You know Juuhachi? How? Do you know where she is? And Marron?" Juunana demanded, shaking the younger man. Gobo's head spun from the fierce action. The android, realising he could possibly be damaging his patient, immediately stopped. He lowered his hands to his sides. They clenched into tight fists, and his eyes shone with a deep and powerful need. Gobo shook his head.  
  
"…I'm sorry, I don't know. I don't even know why I said that." He said. Juunana lowered his head dejectedly and went to pick the chair back up. He resumed his previous position.  
  
"If I find out you're lying…" Juunana began. Gobo just shrugged him off. It didn't matter. He was telling the truth. And even if this person who saved him decided he was holding out anyway, what right did he have to live? Juunana noticed the sudden change in the boy's demeanour and decided he was telling the truth. He switched topics, on to something that was more likely to go somewhere. "Why do you look like Gohan?" He asked. Gobo's eyes opened wide. Now it was his turn to gape at the mention of a name.  
  
"You knew my father?" He asked incredulously. Juunana nodded.  
  
"Oh, that explains it. I guess this means he's dead? You used past- tense." The android asked. Gobo gulped and lowered his eyes. Was his father dead? He didn't know anymore. He used to be sure, but now… After what had happened… His grandma always swore that the rest of their family was out there somewhere, and someday they'd destroy the aliens and save the world. Could she have been right?  
  
"I-I'm not sure if he is or isn't. I haven't seen him since I was two." Gobo supplied.  
  
"Shit!!" Juunana said. He raised a fist and punched through the air in a effort to release some frustration. "I go to the trouble of saving your sorry ass, and you know even less than I do!!!" He yelled. Gobo just sighed and put his head in his hands.  
  
"Well, you should have let them kill then!" He said. His mind was a chaotic swirl of torment and distress. Juunana snorted indignantly.  
  
"Don't tell me you wanted to die?" He asked in a mocking tone. Then he caught sight of Gobo's expression and stopped dead in his tracks. "You did, didn't you? But why?"  
  
"That building that was destroyed. *I* did it. No one else, just me." He said. "All those people…" Gobo whispered, talking more to himself than his host now. Juunana looked at him carefully. Then a low whistle escaped his lips.  
  
"Wow, you must of been pretty pissed. What happened? Some girl reject you?" He asked. Gobo balled a fist. He didn't like this guy's attitude at all.  
  
"No! My Grandmother died." He half-yelled. Then his eyes clouded over with tears and he buried his face into his arms. Juunana shrugged. He would never understand why these humans got so riled up over nothing. So what if the kid killed a few useless dregs? It wasn't like they were going places or anything. Most of them would've died within a year anyway, either from drug over-doses, suicide, or random acts of violence. Then new scum would replace them and the cycle would go on. Juunana might not be the heartless killer he had the potential to become, but was by no means a soft touch. An ironic smile touched his pale lips.  
  
"Well, at least she isn't going to hell alone." He mused. Gobo felt his anger begin to stir inside. He didn't care who this asshole was, nobody talked about his Grandma that way. Enraged, he jumped to his feet. His vision swayed a bit from dizziness, but he stood his ground.  
  
"Don't you dare say such things about my grandmother! She was a better person than you'll ever be!" Gobo growled. Suddenly he felt the energy burst all around him again, and he threw a punch straight at Juunana. The android easily side-stepped the attack and grabbed his arm, flipping the boy over onto his back.  
  
"You've got lots of power, kid, but absolutely no skill." He told him arrogantly. Gobo groaned at the pain that scorched up him from the unexpected move. His body still ached from it's most recent beating. But then a thought occurred to him. If this Juunana had known his father, maybe he could help him find the rest of his family. Maybe he could tell him what this energy was, and why it came to him when he was truly angry. It never happened before his grandmother died. Well, not that he could recall anyway. Sucking in air through teeth clenched in pain, he pulled himself back up to his feet and looked Juunana in the face.  
  
"You knew my father, and I think you know what this power I have is. Now it's your turn to tell me a few things." Gobo stated. There was a brief moment of tension, in which the two locked eyes in a small mental war. Then Juunana shrugged and waved him off.  
  
"Why should I tell you anything, kid? I already saved your life." He stated matter-of-factly. Gobo raised a hand to the back of his head as he thought about his answer. It didn't take long for it to come to him.  
  
"My memories. You're looking for some people, so am I. What if they're together? We could help each other." Gobo provided. Juunana blinked and looked at him calculatingly.  
  
"What do you mean 'your memories'?" He asked. Gobo was glad he didn't dismiss the idea of their lost loved ones being together.  
  
"Well, I have dreams, and in them I KNOW I remember parts of the past. Back when my family disappeared. Only it's just that I can't remember all of it when I wake up. But I bet if I focused, I could figure out a few things." The demi-saiyan supplied. Juunana looked as though he were still listening, so he decided to continue. Gobo was amazed that he could even make a plan like this after all that had happened. But a part of him he didn't really recognise kept pushing him on. Maybe it was because a tiny part of him hoped he and his family could save the world. It wouldn't fix what he had done, but perhaps it could help make up for it. Gobo knew it would be what his Grandma would want.  
  
"Here's what I purpose, Juunana. You tell me what you know about my family, and teach me all about this power I possess. In exchange, I will try and figure out everything I can about the past and help you find 'Juuhachi' and… and… Uh, what was the other name?"  
  
"Marron."  
  
"Right, right, Marron. So, is it a deal?" Gobo asked. Juunana paused as he deliberated over the ramifications of the decision. Then he gave a curt nod, and shot Gobo a piercing look.  
  
"It's a deal." 


	4. Visitor

"So, just how did you know my father?" Gobo asked Juunana. They were standing outside the android's small house, warming up for the day's bout of training. It had been a little over a week since the two had joined up. Gobo had made plenty of progress in the way of fighting skills; His moments of clumsiness were now fewer and far between. And he was learning how to deal with his immense strength a lot better too. But when it came to his dreams, he hadn't gotten very far. The teen was hoping that hearing some more stories might help him to remember things. It still hurt to think of his grandma, but the fact of the matter was, his dreams came more vividly back then. If only he'd bothered to remember! Juunana didn't answer. He rarely did when Gobo asked such questions, and it was really starting to annoy the demi-saiyan.  
  
But there was little to be done about it, at least until after they trained for a while. Juunana's tongue usually loosened up after he'd pounded the living shit out of Gobo. So instead he focused on his surroundings as he stretched his muscles. Juunana lived outside the city, on a tiny island that the aliens paid no mind to. It had a single palm- tree, and a small house with 'Kame House' written along the side. Gobo had wondered why his tracking device hadn't killed him when Juunana rescued him from the aliens. The android had stated simply that his saiyan DNA rendered him impervious to the poison. Gobo knew the 'saiyan' had been the word his Grandma used for his Grandpa's alien species. Only when she said it, she spat it like it was something foul and dirty. The teen's mouth set in a grim line as he remembered the argument he'd had with Juunana after finding out that he'd just been carried away from his perimeter.  
  
"Wha… But, what if you'd been wrong about me?!?" He'd demanded incredulously. Juunana had explained not long ago that the only reason he saved Gobo was because he looked like Gohan. He figured someone related to Gohan might know where Juuhachi was, although Gobo still didn't quite follow this logic. The android had shrugged callously, as was his nature.  
  
"You would've died, and I wouldn't have cared." Juunana supplied.  
  
It was crap like that which made Gobo dislike him. But for some reason he couldn't quite shake, the demi-saiyan inherently trusted him. It was an odd feeling of being torn between personality, and instinct. Suddenly a light went off in the teen's perceptions. He raised an arm to block a carefully-aimed kick for his head, as Juunana began to start their training a few minutes early. And without warning. But such was not uncommon now for Gobo. What WAS uncommon was that he'd actually been able to block it. Juunana seemed to think so too, as the android paused for a moment, his crystal blue eyes blinking in mild shock. Then his face set in grim determination. Gobo floated away and made his fighting stance. Legs positioned with stability, one hand in front of him, the other at his side. The energy he had, which Juunana had explained was called ki, now flared around him at his control. From what he had learned, Gobo gathered that he was even more unusually strong for a being of this planet than he'd thought. But that he was, on the other hand, comparatively weak for a member of his family. Mainly because he wasn't anywhere near a level of strength Juunana called 'Super Saiyan'. As far as Gobo could tell, it made your hair stand on end and turn blonde, and provided you with lots of energy. On top of that, Juunana explained that he was stronger than a Super Saiyan. He had also explained that he was an android, and got his strength from being built with it. Thus he did not make the BEST teacher. But he was better than anything else Gobo had ever had, so he accepted it.  
  
Juunana did not take a stance. He had no need to be on his guard; Gobo would not surpass him for quite some time. Instead he simply stood with his hands held loosely at his sides. Both men were dressed in black training gis. Gobo waited for Juunana to make a move. He had learned quickly that he must not rush into things with his foes; let them go first, and show their own strengths and weaknesses. Suddenly a flare of energy erupted around Juunana. It cast an eerie light-blue glow as it cascaded around him, contrasting Gobo's own red aura. The demi-saiyan braced himself as his teacher lunged forward, throwing a flurry of fast and unpredictable punches. Most hit, but some were blocked. Gobo tried to watch Juunana's movement's as closely as possible. Unfortunately, that grew harder when the android began aiming for his head.  
  
With a sudden cry, Gobo dropped to one knee in the sand and lunged a leg out to kick his opponent's feet out from under him. Juunana caught on just in time, and launched himself into the air. He did a back-flip, and landed several feet away. Then there was a soft 'swish' noise, and Gobo blinked as his adversary faded out of sight. The demi-saiyan cast his eyes around desperately. He searched everywhere, above, behind, to the right, to the… As his head turned left, a booted foot smashed painfully into the side of his face. Gobo drew in breath with a hiss as he was thrown against the dirt. Realising in an instant what Juunana had planned, he rolled quickly to the side to avoid the fist hurtling down towards him. Then, almost instinctually, he darted out a hand and grabbed Juunana's arm. His opponent's eyes widened as he was tossed into the air, quickly followed by a small ball of ki Gobo had formed. The android batted it away with ease. Gobo watched as it sailed into the air, then realised his mistake as a knee was placed painfully into his gut. He doubled over, gasping for breath.  
  
"Never take your eyes off your enemy." Juunana stated numbly. Gobo growled and pulled back, preparing to plant a kick into his opponent's stomach. With a cold smile Juunana darted out an arm and caught to limb. Not a sound escaped his mouth as he flung Gobo so hard the demi-saiyan hit the ocean outside the island with a loud 'smack'. His eyes widened as he sunk under the waves. Gobo didn't know how to swim, and was to stunned to think of flying out. Water… It was like the soot. He couldn't breath. He couldn't escape. There was a flash in his vision as he remembered seeing the fire explode all around him. All those people, and it was all his fault. Just because he was angry… Gobo reached out a hand as he sank deeper below the waves. The sun was just like the fire of his own energy. His grandma never would have approved of him doing that, and Gobo was very deeply ashamed. 'Let yourself die. Let it go, it doesn't matter. After what you did you deserve to die.' A voice whispered to him in the back of his mind. 'No, don't listen! What would your death serve? All you can do now is atone for the crimes you committed. Dying will only make it worse!' Another voice argued. Gobo blinked away tears into the salt water. Voices now? 'It must be the shock. I'm loosing my mind…' he mused bitterly. Then Gobo let his eyes slid shut. Why weren't his lungs burning yet? How long could he hold his breath for, he wondered? Something flashed up into his vision as his eyelids closed in the darkness. An image, of a warm and lovely face.  
  
"Hello sweetie." His mother said to him softly. Gobo looked around in surprise. He was no longer drowning in the sea, but instead stood in a cold black room. Before him was his mother. She looked just as he remembered her, as if she hadn't changed at all since the last day they were together.  
  
"…Mom? But how?" He asked in shock. Videl shook her head.  
  
"Shhh, it's alright son. You aren't going crazy." She reassured him. He snorted in mild surprise.  
  
"Oh great, well as long as my hallucination thinks I'm sane..." Gobo retorted sarcastically. But part of him was also filled with hope. What if this really was his mother? What if this was real? Videl shook her head. But the smile never left her lips.  
  
"Gobo, please. You have to believe me! I don't have much time. Listen, they have Piccolo at their central command. He can help you find the rest of us. But I don't know where we are." The surreal image of his mother pleaded with him. Gobo gulped. He had believed it all this far, why not believe in this too? It was just as crazy as the rest of it.  
  
"Who's Piccolo?" He asked simply. There were so many more things he wanted to say to her, but he just couldn't find the words. Suddenly Videl whipped her head around, as though a noise had caught her attention. She turned back to her son with fear in her eyes.  
  
"There isn't any time. Find him, that will lead to the rest of this!" Videl told him. Gobo reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, but suddenly she wasn't there anymore. Instead his hand was met by another. Gobo blinked his eyelids open through the hazy fog of the sea. Juunana swam above him, one hand clasped around his own. With apparent ease the android quickly dragged his quarry up to the surface, and tossed him coldly onto the shore. Gobo gladly drew a breath, although he was fairly certain he could have held it for a lot longer if he needed to. Juunana looked at him and shook his head.  
  
"That is the LAST time I am saving your life." The android said in annoyance. Then both fighters looked towards the sky as something came sailing towards them at an impressive speed. A bolt of energy erupted at Gobo's feet, and he jumped away, sand flying into the air from the impact.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" 


End file.
